Appliances Wipe Out Blackouts

by John Gartner Wired News, 22 Jun 2005 If someday your TV stays on during a heat wave, you may have your dryer and dishwasher to thank. The Department of Energy is developing technologies to avert electrical grid failures such as the blackout of August 2003, including household appliances that temporarily reduce their power consumption. The devices switch off when they detect a power disruption on the electricity grid. Energy officials say the devices could save consumers billions of dollars by reducing the need to build new power stations. Read more